Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I was almost halfway to the tube station this morning when I suddenly remembered that I had left my water bottle at home. Since I was running a few minutes late I didn’t bother going back to get it.

Reaching the tube station I went straight into the WH Smith, as always, to pick up the day’s Guardian newspaper. I placed a £1 coin in the hands of the beautiful South Asian woman at the counter and was about to leave when another customer just behind me enquired, “Do you want a bottle of water?”

“Eh?” I thought to myself.

“Not really”, I replied, but only because I was confused.

However it occurred to me to ask the crucial question, “Is the water free?”